Tangled Secrets: Green Dragon
by Red-Elephant
Summary: PART TWO. Even the best laid plans cannot hold up against the allure of purple lace, perfect breasts and a lack of panna cotta. Mamoru is in trouble and he still doesn't get it.


**TANGLED SECRETS - GREEN DRAGON**

**Part II**

Author: Red_Elephant

Rated M

_AN: As the title suggests, this is the sequel to Tangled Secrets. However, while it continues to deal with the same unresolved problem that arose in TS1, it is an entirely new situation set a bit over a year after – hence why I have put it as a stand-alone fic. I really wanted to further explore the idea of the effects a past lover could have on Usagi and Mamoru's relationship. Usagi is so young when she and Mamoru first get together, he's a few years older with that much more experience (in my head anyway) and he is her first boyfriend. I see problems as the years go by and TS in the result. You don't have to have read Tangled Secrets to understand Green Dragon but it will give you a bit of background. I'll leave it up to you._

_This will have a bit of bad language and deals with adult themes so you've been warned. I've stayed closer to the Sailor Moon world than I normally do but as to where it falls in the time line, I'm not sure. So I'm claiming writer's discretion by pretending Galaxia didn't happen and Mamoru never went away. This series is also going to have three parts with the very distant possibility of a fourth depending on where part three takes me. So enjoy Green Dragon and stay tuned for part three of TS._

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon belongs respectively to Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation and DIC Entertainment. Not written for monetary purposes, this is simply written in the hopes of entertaining anyone out there who decides to read it. Grand Design, Kevin McLeod and YouTube are also not mine.

* * *

Mamoru rubbed distractedly at the light stubble on one sharp cheek bone, the twilight blue of his eyes peeking through several strands of errant black hair, drifting downward for a moment before swinging back up to the face of the woman in front of him. Usagi followed his gaze. Misaki had folded her arms on the crisp white table cloth as she leaned forward, her breasts thrust together and upward into her tight purple lace dress.

Usagi's face burned as she looked back down at her plate, stabbing an asparagus spear with undue force before popping it into her mouth. She chewed rapidly for a moment, eyes switching between her boyfriend and his past lover before she was forced to focus on the food she was now unable to swallow in her mouth. Her stomach was so clenched that she felt ill and the offending vegetable half masticated in her mouth was only aiding her quandary. She panicked, suddenly certain that she would vomit if the food were to make contact with her stomach and reached for her napkin, ready to spit it out. Yet just as she brought the starched material to her mouth Misaki threw her head back, the copper hints in her strawberry blonde hair gleaming in the soft candle light nestled between the red roses in the centre of their table, and laughed. It was the sexy, soulful laugh of a mature woman. Mamoru grinned and Usagi felt her stomach drop into the floor.

The rainbow prisms reflecting off of the enormous chandelier above them played with the silver diamante clips nestled within the strands swept back from Misaki's temples. Usagi removed the napkin from her mouth and folded it on the table to her right as she forced the asparagus down, gagging as it slid slowly down her throat. Her stomach lurched. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

Mamoru's hand touched her knee under the table. Usagi jumped, eyes popping wide open to stare at the man to her left. Her boyfriend wasn't looking at her, by all appearances concentrating on the food on his plate. Breath hitching in her chest, nerves fraying as Mamoru's fingers slid north, brushing under the hem of her apricot dress. He stopped about mid thigh and lingered, fingers squeezing the soft flesh. She could feel the goose pimples racing across her skin, causing pleasurable discomfort in areas she really didn't want to be thinking about with the current company. She was powerless to stop the violent shiver that followed. His fingers crept a little higher and she couldn't take it any longer. Usagi's hand shot under the table and snapped onto his wrist, dragging his hand back to just above her knee.

She shot him a dark look, unimpressed by whatever message he was trying to send her. However, just like the majority of the evening, he was distracted. Usagi turned to glare at Misaki, secretly wishing the woman would turn into a Youma so that she finally had the perfect excuse to get rid of her. God, why the hell wouldn't she leave? Couldn't she take a hint? Her glare darkened and she shot another look at her boyfriend. Obviously that hint wasn't going to get through with Mamoru sending an entirely different signal. Usagi knew he had an IQ through the stratosphere but in her opinion, he only utilised about ten percent most of the time.

This was their anniversary dinner, having reached the magical two and half year mark. It was by far the longest relationship Mamoru had ever maintained and the only relationship Usagi had ever had. That's why she was currently waxed, scrubbed and glossed, dressed as close to the nines as she knew how in a soft apricot silk dress reaching just above the knee with silver heels adorning her feet. Minako had drilled her for weeks on the art of walking in the dreaded stilts just to make sure she could make it through this night without injury. She'd put make up on. She'd curled her mile long hair and had it piled on top of her head in an elaborate messy bun that was wearing her neck down from the weight but well worth it because she knew it looked beautiful. She'd chosen this restaurant because it screamed class and romance; Mamoru hadn't even choked at the prices. Dammit, she'd had plans for tonight!

Usagi glanced once more at Misaki and knew that there was absolutely no way she could follow through now. She felt the full weight of her insecurities pile onto her shoulders and almost buckled. She forced herself to keep her back straight, however, pride filling in for the spine she seemed to have lost. She suddenly felt like she was fourteen and quite ridiculous, playing dress ups.

She was well aware that she tended to view their relationship through rose coloured glasses, expecting certain things to follow the fairy tale route. Sure, that illusion had been shattered too many times to count but she couldn't help but view the eventual loss of her virginity with the same rosy glow. So how could she tell Mamoru that she was at long last ready to take the plunge and make love to him tonight when the last women to share his bed sat next to her? The opportunity to compare his past and present sat right in front of him. How could she not find herself lacking? Once again, the illusion was shot and lay bleeding at her feet.

Usagi shoved Mamoru's hand from her knee and shifted her legs as far from his reach as her chair allowed. That seemed to get his attention. She met his curious stare for a second before she had to look away. God her eyes were starting to swim. Usagi felt panic crawl up her spine and pushed her chair back; she refused to cry in front of this woman. She may have felt like it but she wasn't fourteen anymore.

"Usa?"

"I have to powder my nose."

A tiny line of concern formed on his brow as he took in her glassy eyes. Mamoru glanced at Misaki and seemed to nod to himself before turning piercing eyes back to her. She excused herself once more, weaving her way through the tables to the rest room but walked straight past and out the front door. Once on the street Usagi strode several metres until she was around the corner and out of sight. She almost leant back against the sandstone building but caught herself in time, remembering the fine silk of her dress. Ankles crossed, she dug her communicator from her small clutch. She hesitated for a long moment, fingers hovering over the different coloured buttons before she settled her index finger on the green one.

* * *

Her fist of popcorn had been hovering in front of her face for several minutes before Makoto realised and absently shoved the kernels into her mouth. She frowned when several escaped down her top and she had to drag her eyes away to fish them out. Her eyes strayed back to her small television, fingers digging for another handful of popcorn. Kevin McLeod was still talking with the young couple on screen, asking some hard questions about the stalled development of their new wooden house overlooking the sea. Makoto nodded to herself, agreeing with his assessment.

Watching Grand Design was a guilty pleasure she allowed herself once a week, the one night she told her friends she was busy and locked herself into her apartment with carbohydrates. Design and architecture was a secret passion that she'd never shared with anyone, born from a childish dream of creating a beautiful home of her own. If possible, she'd have dedicated her life to it but knew that that path just wasn't for her. She was a warrior with the fall back career of cook on her resume. She doubted the girls would care enough to make a big deal about it but she liked to keep a little mystery about herself. Thus she kept these nights in with Kevin McLeod a secret.

Her communicator beeped three times before the sound breached her subconscious. She groaned and hit the mute button as she grabbed the little gadget off of her coffee table. Usagi's little pink button was flashing. Makoto glanced over at her clock and frowned. Taking a deep breath, she hit the pink button and Usagi's face appeared on the little screen.

"What's wrong?" She demanded.

Usagi shook her head, curls bouncing. "I don't know what to do Mako," Her bottom lip seemed to tremble. "I'm so angry right now that I can't think straight."

Makoto sat up a little straighter. "What's Mamoru done now?"

Half of Usagi's face disappeared from the screen and Makoto winced as she was hit directly with the headlights of a passing car. "Nothing," Usagi said, coming into full view again. "Misaki was at our restaurant. Her mother cancelled on her so she ended up having dinner with us."

Makoto didn't bother to stifle her groan. "That boy is an idiot."

Usagi's snort was anything but delicate. "You have no idea."

She drummed her fingers on the arm of the lounge. "The way I see it you have three options."

"Three?" Usagi squeaked.

Makoto nodded. "The first option would be for me to come down there and have a little chat with this chick. The second-"

Usagi shook her head. "No way."

"The second-" Makoto repeated, trying to hide her impatience at being interrupted. "is to go back and hope that Mamoru can read your mind and ask her to leave. However, we've just established that he's an idiot so I don't like your chances," She paused but all she could hear was the traffic in the background. "Your third option is to march back in there and demand that she leave. He's _your_ boyfriend Usa. Fight back."

"Fight back?"

Makoto frowned at the fear lacing her friend's voice. Sailor Moon was a fighter; Usagi was not, especially where Mamoru was concerned. The man got away with far too much. "You fight back."

"Mako, all your options suck."

She popped a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth and shrugged. "Then just leave."

"...leave?"

Makoto sighed. "You've been together for two years-"

"Two and a half." Usagi corrected.

"Whatever," Makoto waved a hand, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "There have been three people in your relationship for at least one and a half of those years. Mamoru may not have a problem with that idea but I'm pretty certain you're not up for that kind of thing-" She paused. "right?"

"I can't believe you just asked me that." Usagi muttered. A car zoomed past, the bass thumping. A male shouted something and Usagi's face disappeared for a moment. Makoto heard her friend mutter the word '_asshole_' before her face came once more into view. "So I fight huh?"

"That's my girl." Makoto grinned

"Thanks Mako."

"Let me know if you need back up."

Usagi's face scrunched up. "Ha-ha."

Makoto hit the end button and tossed the little compact onto the coffee table. She leaned back into the cushions and depressed the mute button.

"Bloody Usagi." She grumbled, half meaning it. She had missed the best part of her show.

* * *

It was pathetic and Usagi knew it but couldn't force herself to step out from behind the large potted plant she was currently hiding behind. Spying behind. Whatever. People were looking at her, curious despite themselves even as they tittered at the social faux pas she was currently committing. She would have liked to take a moment to explain to them that this in fact was not that bad when compared to some of her past indiscretions (there was one in particular that never failed to make Mamoru blush – a feat unto itself) but it was at the bottom of her to do list in that moment.

Usagi, buoyed by her conversation with Makoto, had had every intention of walking back to their table. She was going to sit down, place her hand on Mamoru's shoulder and demand that they leave right then. If he had hesitated she would have whispered in his ear all the dirty things she planned to do to him back at his apartment. He would have been on his feet in seconds and she would have shot a triumphant look Misaki's way as he pulled her from the restaurant. Easy.

But during her absence Misaki had scooted her chair closer to Mamoru's so that she could see something on his phone. 'A YouTube video' she guessed, remembering him cackling about something earlier. Misaki had a hand on his shoulder as she peered at the screen. Usagi almost went up in smoke. Why the hell was this woman always touching him? And why was he always letting her? Leaves fluttered to the carpet as her tense fingers strangled the poor plant. A waiter placed two plates of desert at their table. He'd ordered desert without her. He never did that.

Usagi stood very still, trying to blink the tears away. Misaki had removed her hand from his shoulder, even created a little distance between them but it wasn't enough. They were eating panna cotta. She _loved_ panna cotta. And he hadn't ordered for her. Bastard.

The air was colder as she burst through the heavy gilded doors and out onto the busy street. Pausing only to slip her feet out of the heels, she held them with two fingers as she took off down the foot path bare foot.

* * *

Mamoru leant forward, fingers drumming on the table top in a distracted manner that he knew was annoying Misaki but couldn't bring himself to stop. A rebellious part of him tapped just a little bit louder, fuelled by the frown marring her glossy mouth. He'd ceased to care how she felt the moment she'd accepted his polite offer to join them for dinner and it shocked him a little to realise that he had finally reached a point where she no longer had control or influence over his life. He suspected that she had some idea of the troubles she had caused for him and while he knew he shared fifty percent of the blame, her presence alone was enough to bring more than a little anger to the surface.

Shoving a spoonful of white chocolate panna cotta into his mouth, his eyes slid over to the ladies restroom door. Usagi had yet to return and it was getting a little ridiculous. Mamoru wasn't stupid; his girlfriend was pissed. They'd covered the topic of Misaki so many times that he'd be a complete idiot if he didn't recognise the signs by now.

"Do you think she's ok?"

Mamoru met Misaki's blue eyes across the table for a brief moment before concentrating on his desert. "Give her a few more minutes."

"She's a funny girl." Misaki murmured, reaching for her champagne flute.

"She's different." He conceded, dipping his spoon into the strawberry sauce on his plate.

"She doesn't like me much."

The spoon stuck to his tongue and he tried to swallow around the silverware without choking. He was forever being caught off guard by her disregard for subtlety. "You're my ex," He allowed, aware that he was treading a thin line. "It makes her uncomfortable."

"We were never official." Misaki pointed out.

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "Does that matter?"

She shrugged, fiddling with her bracelet. "It did to me."

He sucked in a breath at her admission, the need to escape thrumming around in his head. Where the hell was his girlfriend?

"I always liked you more than you liked me." Misaki continued.

His cell phone began to ring in the middle of her confession and he reached for it with a certain amount of relief, watching the annoyance flicker across her face. Frowning, he tapped the answer button on the touch screen without checking the id.

"What's wrong?"

"Mamoru you're an idiot." Makoto snapped, forgoing pleasantries and getting right to the point.

He grimaced. "Thanks."

"Look," Makoto sighed. "Usagi's gone. She's walking home."

"Shit." He cursed, digging out his wallet and pulling his credit card free with two fingers. "How long?"

"Five minutes, maybe ten. I'd hurry if I were you."

Hanging up, he pushed back his chair. Pausing, he looked down at his ex, reminding himself that she was still his friend and therefore deserved at least the appearance of half hearted courtesy. Misaki just nodded, making a shooing motion with her hand. He paid the bill and was out the door of the restaurant in minutes, running as soon as his feet hit the pavement.

Mamoru headed west, taking to the rooftops as soon as possible in the guise of his alter ego. He let the top hat go when the wind blew it straight off his head, grunting as he leapt from a small building up to a taller one. He shouldn't have had desert; this was always harder after a meal. The restaurant wasn't that far from her house and, though he hadn't felt her transform, if she was running he knew he had little chance of catching her before she locked herself behind the protection of her father. He let loose a string of profanities, secure in his seclusion. Not breaking stride, he leapt across a particularly wide gap between buildings, grabbing a fire escape railing to help him swing to the left. Falling down to the street without his usual grace, he absorbed some of the impact into his thighs but still stumbled. As he put his hands out to stop himself from face planting into the pavement he caught a glimpse of apricot disappearing down the street. Pushing himself back to his feet, he took off after her.

It didn't seem to matter how fast he ran; Usagi matched his pace so that he never closed the gap between them. The apricot silk was like liquid as she raced through a small nature reserve and across two front lawns, the colour offsetting the creamy white of her legs. Mamoru wracked his brain, trying to remember if he'd complimented her on the dress. He came up blank.

Usagi had reached her street and was sprinting down the middle of the road now. 'Reckless' he thought, eyes scanning frantically for any approaching vehicles or cars backing out of drive ways. Mamoru let his transformation slip away and felt a little of his speed go with it.

"Usagi!" He shouted, losing sight of her. "Please stop."

Somehow, she did. Standing poised under the shadow of a neighbour's magnolia tree, she waited for him. Mamoru's approach was cautious, sliding his hands into his pockets where he could fist them without being seen. Usagi's chest was heaving as she gasped for breath and he tried not to stare at the delightful peak of her nipples just visible through the fine silk.

"Usa-" He began.

"I'm so angry!" She burst, blue eyes wild. "And I dislike you so much right now."

"Why did you le-"

"Why didn't you tell her it was our anniversary?" Usagi demanded, twin silver heels pointing in opposite directions as she placed her fists on her hips.

Mamoru threw his hands up, feeling the need to defend even as the voice in his head screamed at him to shut up. "I didn't know she'd say yes! It would have been rude to ask her to leave after I'd just asked her to join us."

"You're rude to people all the time."

He pulled a face. "Don't talk shit Usa."

Usagi gaped at him for a second before letting out a shriek as she unleashed one of her shoes at him. He could have dodged but didn't, letting the heel bounce off his chest. Her blue eyes widened in disbelief, her other shoe falling to the grass at her feet. Mamoru took advantage of her momentary shock by breaching the distance between them, hands settling on her shoulders. She squirmed under his touch but he held on.

"I'm so sick of this," His fingers tightened and she winced. "We've been together two years-"

"Two and a half." Usagi hissed, jabbing a pointy finger into his stomach.

"Whatever!" Mamoru shouted, losing some of his cool. "My point is that you're so jealous and you have no reason to be."

"You don't get it." She shoved at his chest, forcing him to let her go. "I'm not jealous."

"Explain it to me then." He demanded, fisting a hand in his hair.

Usagi took several deep breaths, staring up at the sky where the moon had yet to rise. She was always antsy at this time in the lunar cycle, Mamoru reflected. The lack of moon seemed to upset her.

"Look at me." She spread her arms as though to say 'this is it'. Mamoru did as she said, noticing all the touches she'd made that he'd failed to notice earlier. Gods but she was beautiful.

"You're sexy."

A small smile tugged at her lips. "Shut up." She said but there was no malice behind it. "I had..._plans_... for tonight," Her sudden lack of eye contact was as intriguing as her words. "But I couldn't do it with Misaki there."

"Why not?" He asked, brow furrowed as he tried to grasp her meaning.

She lifted one eyebrow. "Three's a crowd Mamo-chan."

"We're alone now," He pointed out. "There's still time."

Usagi's smile was sad as she bent down to retrieve her shoe. "I still dislike you right now, so no."

Mamoru's approach was hesitant, holding her other shoe out to her as a peace offering. She accepted, bowing her head as she turned away from him. He fell into step at her side, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Her hips had developed a certain swing, a little wiggle of her bottom that never failed to make his mouth dry. Blonde curls that had come loose during her sprint twisted down her back, creating a beautiful movement of gold and apricot silk as she walked.

"Usako..." His fingers grazed skin. She drew her arm out of reach, folding it across herself. "I'm sorry for ruining our anniversary."

One delicate shoulder lifted. "It doesn't mean anything Mamo-chan."

"Why?" He asked, trying to follow her line of thinking. "I really am sorry."

"You're always sorry," Usagi flared. "But then you go and do it again. If you meant it you'd stop."

He stopped walking. "Would you just tell me what I did so that I can stop doing it?"

She stood several feet away from him, nibbling at her bottom lip. "Fine," She shrugged. "Stop rubbing Misaki in my face. Stop putting me in situations where I have to imagine you fucking her brains out. Stop being nice to her and stop letting her touch you!"

Mamoru shook his head. "I don't do that."

"Yes you do," Usagi snapped. "You say all these perfect things and then you see her and it all goes to shit."

Mamoru could only stare; amused by the uncharacteristic use of foul language yet frustrated beyond belief that they were _still_ having this conversation. "You're insane." He muttered. "Look, I don't want Misaki. Christ Usako, I told you I'd wait till you were ready and I meant that. I'm getting sick of saying this but I'll repeat it until you hear me. I love you. I don't want anyone else. The only person I want to fuck is you. The only person I imagine fucking is you."

"Not so loud," Usagi waved her hands frantically, eyes darting over to her house across the street. "And don't say fuck."

He wanted to demonstrate for her a little of what he meant but wasn't quite brave enough to do that while standing in plain sight of her parent's house. He settled on whispering it to her, enjoying the widening of her eyes as she sucked in a shocked breath. Hands sliding down her sides to span her hips, he let his lips brush against the shell of her ear, nipping at the soft flesh. She trembled and he couldn't be sure if it was from his touch or the decidedly wicked things her innocent ears were hearing.

"I love you." He murmured, pulling back a little so that he could see her eyes.

"I know." She took a careful step out of his arms, a hand fluttering at her neck. Straightening her shoulders she came back to him, on tip toes so that her lips just grazed below his chin. "That second thing you said?" He leant closer, enjoying the warmth of her breath. "I was going to let you do that to me tonight."

And then she was gone, bounding up the steps and through the door that Kenji was holding open for her. Mamoru saluted the older man, forever unsettled by the man's ability to materialise without him knowing. Turning away from Usagi's home, he kicked a rock and watched it ricochet into the dark shadows, her words swirling around inside his head. It wasn't till he got to the end of her street that the full meaning of them sank in.

"Ah fuck."

* * *

AN: Please Review.

Coming Soon: Part III, Tangled Secrets – Beautiful Glory (with necessary pain)


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